Service Restricted

Hi all,

I've already been discussing this with an OCE on the TalkTalk forums and with telephone support as well but am getting absolutely nowhere.

Early last week my service was suspended due to non-payment. I didn't realise a DD had bounced but as soon as the restriction was applied I checked my account and paid the outstanding balance in it's entirety.

I spoke with customer services who confirmed the bar would be lifted within 24 hours. A few hours later my broadband was active. My phone was not - all outbound calls were diverted to the TalkTalk customer finance team.

I left it over 24 hours then rang TalkTalk. I then got bounced between customer finance, technical support, 2nd level technical support and customer services. None of whom could see anything wrong. I've repeated this every day, and am always promised it will be resolved within 24-48 hours, or that I will get a call back. Nothing yet.

Yesterday I had enough and tried to raise a proper complaint. Attempting to get through to the complaints department took many attempts - about 5 - due to my repeatedly being cut off. When I did get through they just transferred me to customer services and left it at that. No actual official complaint.

My next bill is due on the 28/12/2011 and a customer agent advised me that I would have to pay this before it would be reconnected. Customer finance disagreed.

An OCE has also told me that this is 'my fault' which effectively makes this punishment and that I am still liable to pay for the service I have not been receiving - presumably indefinitely.

I've emailed the CEO and will be posting a recorded copy of the email to her tomorrow, but obviously that is 5 days for a response, and who knows how long for an actual action, especially at this time of year.

I'm loathe to play the card but I have a severely disabled son and use my landline to make and receive calls for medical purposes - especially with regards to ordering supplies and emergency hospital calls and so on. A lot of these are 08 numbers and as such cost me a lot to call from my mobile (when I can get coverage out here!) so the landline was extremely useful.

Any input on where I can go from here is appreciated as at the moment TalkTalk can't even confirm that anything is wrong, let alone what they are going to do about it. It's getting to the point where I cancel the account and rejoin BT to get a working line and then argue about it later.

Regards,

Scott

Edited by deleted (Thu 15-Dec-11 17:16:02)

I am surprised that you never received any advance notice from TT or your bank that the DD had been refused. Any self respecting company should not switch of the line without prior recourse.
If your lineout is still to finance, ask to speak to the Finance Manager and ask why the disconnection was made without prior recourse to you. Also ask finance to liaise with CS to reconnect the calls.. Advise that if no reply is forthcoming then you will be left with no option but to ring Ofcom for advice.
Also ask your bank why they didnot advise the DD refusal.
I am sure others know the Ofcom Phone Number.

My bank never notify me in a timely fashion - I'll probably get charged in a couple of weeks time for it.

Perhaps they did attempt to contact me, I don't know the usual TalkTalk procedure here but I definitely didn't receive an email or letter which I thought would have been the usual way of doing it.

Finance say there is nothing wrong with my line and no barring.
Customer services say there is nothing wrong with my line and no barring.
Technical support say there is nothing wrong with my line and no barring.
2nd level technical support say there is nothing wrong with my line and no barring.
Network operations say there is nothing wrong with my line and no barring.

Yet somehow I'm still barred!

In reply to a post by SBDJ:

My bank never notify me in a timely fashion - I'll probably get charged in a couple of weeks time for it.

Perhaps they did attempt to contact me, I don't know the usual TalkTalk procedure here but I definitely didn't receive an email or letter which I thought would have been the usual way of doing it.

Finance say there is nothing wrong with my line and no barring.
Customer services say there is nothing wrong with my line and no barring.
Technical support say there is nothing wrong with my line and no barring.
2nd level technical support say there is nothing wrong with my line and no barring.
Network operations say there is nothing wrong with my line and no barring.

Yet somehow I'm still barred!

Hi Scott

This looks like an network issue especially when they have reconnected the bb and not the phone service. I would suggest to get back on the phone to them and request to be put thru to retentions that way you will be able to get compensated for the numerous calls you have made and to get them to raise the issue with there network team to remove the outbound call barring.

If they are not willing to do this I would cancel or request to speak with management. I found there finance department only deal with getting you to pay for the service hence reason why you are getting thru to them automatically although you are have already paid them the outstanding amount also mention to them that it is over the required SLA of 48hrs that way they would need to check this out for you

Hi.

I really would Urge you contact OFCOM.
by the sounds of it you have gone down every route open and the issue still remains.
it sounds a total nightmare.

you can do without anymore stress

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/contact-us/

0300 123 3333

Personally I would go for the complaint route.This is the biggest issue with talk talk and they still dont get it.When people are being told stuff from various Depts which clearly isnt correct it just makes the feelings towards the company not very nice.

I do think Ofcom will take this issue very serious because they have been warned over and over how they deal with these type of problems.

Edited by deleted (Thu 15-Dec-11 21:53:50)

You obviously want to resolve problem quickly, if possible.
I concur with CREP, contact Retentions first via Landline and finance. Assume this is still diverting. This should show there is still a problem.
If they will not help, just state you are being left no option but to contact Ofcom.

if you line don'g automatically put u thru to talk talk finance then meets the OCB bar has been lifted and you can then make calls as usual however still ring and get compensation for this as by the looks of it your next bill will prob have a charge for dd failure think its about £10-£15 alao known as a direct debit rejection charge

Thanks for the comments.

I've received a call from the chief execs office this afternoon who have apologised profusely are now coordinating the fault and have raised it themselves with their network team to investigate.

Progress at last I hope.

All resolved.

It's a shame that the official support procedures failed so badly, but very well done to the CEOs office for how they handled it once I handed it to them.

Out of interest did you ask for any compensation or recourse?

I would still suggest you do, and ask at the very least for some compensation, such as a credit to your account..

I would also take up the complaint with your bank over the failed DD and what they have/ have not done to advise you about it.

Best of luck